


Fire and Ice

by spikesgirl58



Category: Sapphire and Steel
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-09 01:18:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6883168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikesgirl58/pseuds/spikesgirl58
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for Emeraldarrows for Obscure and British.  Sapphire and Steel discuss the world's destruction by fire vs. ice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fire and Ice

 

_Some say the world will end in fire,_

_Some say in ice._

_From what I've tasted of desire_

_I hold with those who favor fire._

_But if it had to perish twice,_

_I think I know enough of hate_

_To say that for destruction ice_

_Is also great_

_And would suffice._

_Robert Frost_

 

They stood on the edge of the cliff and watched the fire as it tore through the woods, a fire that they had, in fact, been responsible for. A fire that, in the end, would cost one man his life, a life that needed to be sacrificed so that Time could continue on it predestined path.

A tear trickled down Sapphire’s cheek as she mourned for all of those not of the human species that would also perish. They’d done their best to clear the area, but she knew it was not enough.

“It’s never enough,” she muttered bitterly and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

Steel turned. He knew better than to make light of her grief.  It was one of her strengths.  He didn’t understand it as such, but he didn’t need to understand to know.  It made him a better agent because she tempered his decisions.

“I know, but there was no option. He has to die.”

“Not that, entirely. This destruction.  It will take years for the land to recovery.”

“Some people would argue that this is what nature does in order to rejuvenate life.”

“It’s harsh and absolute.”

Abruptly they were standing on an ice cliff with nothing but the blue white of snow surrounding them. Sapphire looked at Steel, surprise clouding her features.

“More harsh and absolute than this?” Steel gestured to the horizon even as the snow swirled around them.  “Here the temperatures fall to well below freezing, making survival a daily triumph at best.  Here you cannot out run the blaze, you cannot escape the clutches of the cold and the ice.  Yet, even here it creates and gives life.”

Sapphire wrapped her arms about her, although they felt neither cold nor heat. “It’s brutal, yes, but life does survive.”

They were suddenly in a glade. Obviously a fire had raged through the area at some point, but new plants poked out from beneath the ashes and fire debris.  Not far away, a rabbit hopped a few feet to nibble on some grass.

“As you say, life does survive.” Then they were back on the cliff, a chill wind swirling around them.  There was a rumble of thunder and the rain started to cool the blaze.  “He is gone, the rest will be saved now.”

“Is Time really that important that a man’s life means nothing?”

“Yes.”  Steel sighed.  “It is everything.  It is why we are here and why we must be strong.”

“Do you fear fire, Steel?”

Steel smiled and shook his head. “I was forged in great heat.  It holds no terror for me.”

“And you can drop your core to absolute zero, meaning ice holds no fear for you, either. What are you afraid of, Steel?”

He caught her hand and kissed her fingers lightly. “Losing you and of what my existence would be without you to remind me of humanity.”

Below the fire petered out and the rain continued until there was nothing but some smoldering ash behind. The news reports would praise the timing of the storm and lament that, although a single life had been lost, it was fortunate that the destruction wasn’t worse.   Those listening to the news would never know that it wasn’t luck as much as it was a handful of Elements making sure that the rest of the world had time enough to spare.

 


End file.
